Illuminated valance



May 30, 1961 F. J. MARRIETT 2,986,627

ILLUMINATED VALANCE Filed May 6, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ffl IN VEN TOR. 27' j /ffen/w.: d. Maze/Er? A Trae/Veys May 30, 1961 F; .1. MARRIETT ILLUMINATED VALANCE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6, 1957 INVENToR. I Pn/vx J. Mpeg/Err ML, Mia ma A TTOPNEY May 30, 1951 F. J. MARRIE'r-r 2,986,627

ILLUMINATED VALANCE Filed May 6. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INI/EN TOR.

P2p/VK Mae/Tr A Trab/v5 v5 United States Patent Office 2,986,627 Patented May 30, 1961 ILLUMINATED VALAN CE Frank J. Marriett, Fort Atkinson, Wis., assiguor to Thomas Industries Inc., Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 6, 1957, Ser. No. 657,140

14 Claims. (Cl. 240-2) This invention relates to a bracket for the mounting of a fluorescent lighting fixture and valance board.

The invention provides in unitary form a bracket which is easily mounted on a window casing or the like and includes clamping strap parts with which a lighting fixture housing is adjustably engageable for secure retention when clamped. An arm of the housing clamping member provides for the adjustable support of another arm which is attached to a valance board, whereby both the housing and board can be mounted in the most advantageous positions with respect to the wall or window frame through the use of a single unitary bracket fixture.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing one bracket embodiment in use, portions of a window casing and valance board being fragmentarily illustrated in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view in transverse section through the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view taken in section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing another bracket embodiment in use, portions of a window casing and valance board being fragmentarily illustrated in section.

Fig. 5 is a detailed view in transverse section through the parts shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view in spaced apart relation of the various parts making up the bracket embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken through another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a perspective View in spaced apart relation of the various parts making up the bracket embodiment shown in Fig. 7. j

In devices embodying the present invention, both the lighting lixture and valance board are supported on brackets which are in common support relation to the xture and valance board. The brackets may be paired or otherwise duplicated depending on the length of the installation. A feature of the present invention is that the same bracket supports both the lighting iixture and valance board, thus eliminating supplementary valance board brackets as shown for example in United States Patent No. 2,708,711.

While the bracket shown in Figs. l-3 may be applied to any upright surface, it is usually employed in connection with a top member 4 of a` Window frame. It is used to support from the window frame or wall the lighting xture housing 5 of a iiuorescent lamp 6 for which the housing provides terminal sockets such as that shown at 7. Outwardly of the lamp 6, the bracket carries a valance board 8 which may be adjusted to a position in which, depending on its width, it adequately screens the lamp 6 from direct view of the observer while allowing adequate clearance for distribution of light.

The bracket shown in Figs. 1-3 includes a lamp housing cradle comprising a wall-mounted portion 9 having an upturned ear at 10 adapted to receive a mounting screw 11. The wall-mounted bracket portion 9 extends outwardly from the ear 10 and thence downwardly parallel to the wall or frame member 4 at 12. An arm 13 extends back into abutment with the Wall or casing element 4 to which the ear 10 is screwed.

Welded to the arm 13 of the wall-mounted portion 9 of the bracket is the arm 14 which provides a seat for the housing 5 and from which extends upwardly the fixture housing strap clamp 15. The clamp 15 is generally parallel to portion 12 of the wall-mounted portion of the bracket. At its upper end, the clamp portion 15 is adjustably connected with portion 12 by means of a long screw 16 threaded into portion 12 having its head 17 engaged with clamp portion 15. With the screw 16 partially unscrewed from the part 12 of the wall-mounted portion 9 of the bracket, the parts 12 and 15 will be relatively free respecting the housing 5. With the bracket and housing associated in the desired relative positions, the screw 16 is tightened to engage the strap clamp portion 15 of the bracket securely against the lighting xture housing 5, the latter being clamped against portion 12.

Extending outwardly at a level just ybelow -the top of part 12 is an arm 18 of the clamp portion 15 of the bracket. Adjustably mounted on arm 18 is the portion of the bracket which supports the valance 8.

The valance-supporting portion comprises arms at 19 and 20 which are at right angles to each other. Arm 19 is screwed to the valance board and arm 20 overlies arm 18 and has one or more slots at 21 and 22 for guiding it and securing it with respect to the arm 118. The arm 18 may have a stud such as that shown at 23 in Fig. 3 engaged in slot 22 for guidance purposes only. A bolt '24 and wing nut 25 may extend from arm 18 through slot 21 to anchor arms 18 to 20 in any desired position of longitudinal adjustment, within their range.

It will be observed that the structure is exceedingly simple and its means of mounting and adjustment are also exceedingly simple. Any desired number of brackets may be used, depending on the length of the lighting fixture housing 5 and the valance board 8. However, each bracket requires only a single screw at 11 to support it from the window casing or wall. Only the Screw 16 requires manipulation to release the bracket from or to clamp it to the lighting fixture housing 5 and only one wing nut 25 for each bracket requires tightening to secure in adjustment that portion of the bracket which supports the valance.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figs.4 through 6 is adapted to be mounted over a window on window frame member 4 and to support a lamp housing 5 and valanceboard 8, these parts being the same as` illustrated in Figs. l and 2 and being given the same reference characters.

The bracket shown in Figs. 4 through 6 is specically different from the one shown in Figs. l through 3 and consists of an L-shaped cradle member 30 having a Wallmounted portion 31 and a projecting arm portion 32. Member 30 is desirably channeled as illustrated for strength and to guide the longitudinal movement therein of the L-shaped valance board mounting member 33.

The wall-mounted portion 31 of member 30 is fastened to the board 4 by means of a single screw 34. The projecting arm portion 32 of member 30 is provided with a series of transversely elongated slots 35. The lamp housing rests upon the arm 32 and a strap 36 which embraces the housing has its ends 37 engaged through appropriated slots 35. The ends 37 of the strap are desirably drawn in until the strap firmly clamps the housing 5 to arm 32, whereupon the strap ends 37 are bent as shown in Fig. 5 to clinch the strap to the arm.

In the foregoing structure the spacing of the lamp housing 5 from thev board 4 may be adjusted by appropriate selection of the slotsY 35 through which the ends of the strap 36 are engaged.

Upright portion 40 of the L-shaped member 33 is adjustably clamped through the slots 42 to the board 8 by means of screws 43. The rearwardly projecting portion 41 of the bracket 33 is made slightly narrower than arm 32 to be embraced by the side flanges thereon as shown in Fig. 4. Arm 32 is provided with a longitudinal slot 44 with which an aperture 45 in arm 41 is aligned. Arms 32, 41 are releasably and adjustably clamped together by the wing nut 46 threaded to the stud 47 which has a head 48, the stud passing through the aligned aperture 45 and slot 44 aforesaid.

In the device of Figs. 4 through 6, both the lamp housing 5 and valance board 8 are independently adjustable with respect to the mounting board 4 and are adjustable with respect to each other. As in the device of Figs. 1 through 3, the same bracket supports both the lamp housing and the valance board.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the basic structurel of the device shown in Figs. 4-6 is retained, except that the valance board mounting member 50 is adjustably connected to a bracket arm 51 integrally formed on bracket wall mounted portion 52 and in upwardly offset spaced relation to the arm 53 on which the lamp housing rests. As in the previously described embodiment, arm 53 is provided with spaced slots 54 to receive the ends 37 of strap 36 which embraces housing 5.

The arm 51 is provided with a threaded stud 55 which extends through slot 56 in the arm 57 of valance board mounting member 50 for engagement with wing nut 58. Member 50 is provided with a depending portion 59 on which the valance board 8 is mounted.

This application is a continuationl in part of my copending application Serial No. 533,316, filed September 9, 1955, now abandoned.

I claim:

1'. A bracket of the character described comprising in unitary connection, a generally upright wall-mounted portion, means extending outwardly from said portion and providing a lamp housing seat, clamping means including a generally upright clamping member connected with the seat andspaced from and in generally parallel relation to the upright portion iirst mentioned, a tension screw in spaced relation to the seat and connecting the clamping member with the portion first mentioned whereby the clamping member is adjustable toward the first mentioned upright portion in clamping engagement with a lamp housing on the seat, and valance-mounting means connected with the clamping means and connected through said clamping means and said screw to the generally upright portion first mentioned.

2. The device of claim l in which said clamping member has an outwardly projecting arm and said valancemounting means comprises an inwardly projecting arm longitudinally adjustable along the arm first mentioned, and a clamping bolt extending through said arms for maintaining their relative adjustment.

3. In a bracket of the character described, a wallmounted member comprising an ear adapted to receive a mounting screw from which said member extends outwardly downwardly and inwardly substantially to the plane of said ear, a clamp member in fixed connection with the inwardly extending portion of the wall-mounted member and extending outwardly beyond the wall-mounted member to provide a lamp housing seat, the clamp member having a clamping arm extending upwardly above said seat and there provided with a screw extending across said seat and threaded to the wall-mounted member, and a valance-mounting member comprising arms substantially at right angles, one of said arms having means connecting it with said clamping arm to receive support from the clamping arm and screw aforesaid.

4. The device of claim 3 in which the means connecting the valance-supporting member with the clamping arm comprises an arm extension portion integral with the clamping arm and extending outwardly therefrom and upon which an arm of the valance-supporting member rests and to which it is adjustably connected.

5. A bracket for the mounting of a tube lamp housing and valance from a window frame or the like, said bracket unitarily comprising a wall-mounted member including an upright ear provided with a mounting screw and extending outwardly below said ear and thence having a generally upright portion extending downwardly and a generally horizontal portion extending inwardly substantially to the plane of the ear, a housing-supporting member in rigidly welded connection with the inwardly extending portion of the wall-mounted member and extending outwardly from the wall-mounted member to provide a housing seat, said housing-supporting member having a clamping arm extending upwardly outside of the seat and being provided above the seat with a screw connecting it to the wall-mounted member, said arm being sufficiently flexible to be tightened by the screw into clamping engagement with a housing disposed on said seat, and a substantially horizontal arm projecting outwardly from the clamping arm of the housing-supporting member, and a valance-supporting member comprising a first arm connected with the outwardly extending arm aforesaid, said valance-supporting member having a second arm provided with means for valance connection.

6. The device of claim 5 in combination with a clamping bolt and nut connecting the first arm of the valancemounting member with the outwardly extending arm of the housing-supporting member, and means supplementing said bolt and nut for maintaining said last mentioned arms in longitudinal alignment.

7. The combination with a lamp housing having an elongated lamp mounted on its forward face and a valance spaced in parallel relation to said lamp, of a plurality of brackets for concurrently mounting the lamp housing and valance from a wall, said brackets respectively comprising in unitary connection a wall mounted lamp housing support having an outwardly projecting cradle arm, strap means on the arm embracing said lamp housing at a point intermediate its length and beyond which the ends of said housing project, means releasably tightening said strap against said housing and valancemounting means including a portion connected with said support and a portion outwardly offset from the tightening means supporting said valance in spaced relation to said lamp housing, said lamp being accessible from below through the space between the lamp housing and valance.

8. The device of claim 7 in which said strap means comprises a generally U-shaped frame in which the lamp housing is received, said frame having arms adjustable toward and away from each other for clamping action on said housing.

9. The device of claim 8 in which said U-shaped frame is further provided with a tension bolt spanning the frame arms for advancing and retracting said arms with respect to one another.

10. The device of claim 7 in which said cradle arm is provided with apertures, said strap means having ends engaged through said apertures and clinched against said arm.

y 11. The device of claim 10 in which said cradle arm is provided with a plurality of such apertures spaced longitudinally along said arm for selective engagement therewith by said strap.

12. The device of claim 7 in which said bracket further comprises a valance support arm in spaced parallel relation to said cradle arm.

13. The device of claim 7 in combination with means for adjusting the spacing between the cradle and valance.

14. The device of claim 7 in which said valance-mounting means is provided with a portion connected to said cradle arm in slidable relation.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bednasz June 27, 1916 Gibson et al. Oct. 31. 1950 Doane Mar. 13, 1951 Carpenter July 17, 1951 Deutsch et al. Oct. 2, 1951 Carpenter Feb. 19, 1952 Wright Mar. 8, 1955 McGinty et al. May 17, 1955 

